ISAF is very happy to announce that the ISAF Member National Authority in France, the FFV has officially applied for the accreditation of its National Sail Training Programme.

Vice-chairman of the FFV, Jean Kerhoas said of the application, "FFVoile has been considered for more than 20 years as a model in France, concerning sport teaching. Millions of people have learned sailing in our schools and clubs and most of our French best sailors, sailing either small craft or offshore race boats learned the basic skills and knowledge in an Ecole Française de Voile.

"We do not imagine that our teaching method is better than any other in the world, but it corresponds to what we feel as our best values and needs in sports education."

If you would like to see what the French Sailing Federation is doing to develop participation in Sailing then go to their website here.

The application of the Fédération Française de Voile marks a hugely positive step forwards for the ISAF Training and Development Department and with a National Training Programme that is known in many countries around the world for its quality control and robust qualification structure, ISAF hopes that the joining of the FFV with ISAF in the 'Recognized Training' of their work that many other MNAs will be able to benefit.

Jean Kerhoas and the FFV strongly believe in partnership between MNA's and ISAF, explaining that, "We feel this recognition by ISAF is a logical outcome for the FFV, as a main nation in sailing teaching and development.

"We are convinced that communicating on the way we organized the modernizing of our programme as well as the results that we obtained might be a real help for countries who would like to structure their own programme."

Dan Jaspers, Training and Development Manager for ISAF expressed his thanks to the FFV by saying, "This momentous occasion is testament to the relationship that we as an International Sport Federation are continuing to build with our members worldwide. With the FFV in France now onboard with this scheme we hope that other larger MNAs will see the ISAF Recognized Training Accreditation as a positive move and a way of growing the sport globally.

"Those involved in training know full well that in order to guarantee sailing has a legacy worldwide and for it to continue growing as an Olympic sport; we need to make resources, support and advice more accessible for our emerging and developing members. The FFV has pledged to do exactly that and I strongly urge other larger sailing nations to help us do the same. The process is easier than you may think."

In finishing, Jean Kerhoas points out what he and the FFV feel is the outcome of this ISAF initiative for France and for world of sailing, "We are pleased to imagine being a help for other ISAF MNA's and the improvements we might ourselves realize from this inspection, by increasing our partnership with ISAF on these subjects will help to increase our participation to our sports World promotion."

If you think that your National Training Programme would benefit from the ISAF Recognized Training accreditation or for all previous inspection reports then go to the ISAF sailing.org website here.

For updates on all ISAF initiatives and news from the wider world of sailing why not tell all of your friends about our highly commended ISAF Connect to Sailing Facebook page here.

For any other information on ISAF Initiatives that could help grow participation in the sport of sailing contact our Training and Development Manager, Dan Jaspers here.

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Melbourne, Australia will host the final Rio 2016 Paralympic Games qualification regatta in 2015. With just under one year until the event, the 2015 IFDS Worlds was launched at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne.

ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne kick starts the journey to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with qualification spots and top ranking points available in the Australian city.

Four boats in the Volvo Ocean Race celebrated rounding the venerated landmark of Cape Horn on Monday, a pleasure cruelly denied Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) after the Chinese boat's mast was broken early in a dramatic day on Leg 5.

The wind played dirty tricks all day in Palma on the sailors and race committees who had to juggle with big shifts and different pressure. From 4 to 20 knots, and reaching 40 in some gusts, the wind turned around the bay playing with everybody's nerves.

Ghosting across the line in the inky blackness of a Mediterranean spring night, finally slicing through the finish line set on the very waters where some 40 odd years ago he cut his teeth as a young, aspiring sailor harbouring great dreams, at 01:47:00hrs local time Guillermo Altadill and his talented, ever reliable Chilean co-skipper Jose Muñoz secured second placed in this third edition of the Barcelona World Race, the round the world race for two crew which left the Catalan capital on December 31st 2014.

Algoa Bay brought lighter conditions on Sunday, and after a postponement waiting for the wind to settle, the race got underway in 7 knots of breeze from the south-east. Ted Conrads and Brian Haines from the USA were the pathfinders, and opened up the gate for the fleet as they sailed out to the right-hand side of the course.